Finland Plans to Close 4 Border Crossings with Russia to Curb Refugee Influx

Finnish Prime Minister Petri Orpo stated today, Thursday, that the country will close four out of nine border crossings with Russia on Saturday to curb the flow of asylum seekers. He added that the increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving at the country's eastern border seems to be a Russian retaliation for Finland's defense cooperation with the United States. The four border crossings set to be closed are all located in southeastern Finland, which are typically the busiest for travel between the two countries. According to Finnish border guards, dozens of asylum seekers from countries such as Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, and Syria arrive daily in Finland via Russia, an increase from less than one asylum seeker per day on average earlier in the fall.